PSC Comparative Politics 3

Question 1

In comparative politics, 'veto players' are best defined as:

Accepted Answer

Actors whose agreement is required to change the policy status quo

Answer

As defined by George Tsebelis, veto players are individual or collective actors whose agreement is necessary to change the existing policy status quo.

Question 2

Federalism, as a system of government, is distinguished by:

Accepted Answer

Constitutional division of power between central and regional governments

Answer

Federalism constitutionally divides sovereign governmental power between a national government and subnational units such as states or provinces.

Question 3

Guillermo O'Donnell's 'bureaucratic-authoritarian' regime is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Military rule combined with technocratic economic management

Answer

Bureaucratic-authoritarian regimes, most common in Latin America in the 1960s–70s, combined military rule with technocratic management of the economy.

Question 4

The 'median voter theorem' predicts that in two-party competition, parties will converge toward:

Accepted Answer

The preferences of moderate centrist voters

Answer

The median voter theorem predicts that parties in two-party competition will converge toward the median voter's preferences to maximize their electoral vote share.

Question 5

In comparative politics, 'state capacity' most accurately refers to:

Accepted Answer

The government's ability to implement policies and exercise authority effectively

Answer

State capacity refers to a government's actual ability to implement policies, collect taxes, enforce laws, and exercise authority effectively throughout its territory.

PSC - Political Science Certificate Practice Test

PSC - Political Science Certificate Practice Test

PSC Comparative Politics 3